Don Felipe and Doña Letizia will make a state visit to France in March 2015, coinciding with the opening of the "largest ever organized exhibition" in France on the painter Diego Velázquez, confirmed Monday French President François Hollande.

The announcement was made by Hollande in the joint press conference with the Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, at the end of the XXIV Franco Spanish summit in Paris.

Official reception at the Hotel des Invalides. The Prime Minister Manuel Valls will receive them in an unusual gesture (he is born in Barcelona).

Meeting with President François Hollande at the Elysee Palace

Opening of the exhibition "Velázquez and the triumph of Spanish painting", accompanied by President Hollande

Gala dinner at Elysee Palace

Wednesday 25

Meeting with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo (also spanish born)

Visit to the Senate

Meeting and lunch with Prime Minister Manuel Valls

Visit to the National Assembly, where King Felipe has been invited to give a speech. Invitation that the French authorities reserve to prominent leaders and significant diplomatic relations

Offering at the Arc de Triomphe

Reception with the Spanish colony at the Embassy of Spain

Thursday 26

King Felipe - Breakfast with a dozen of prominent French and Spanish businessmen

Visit to the Institute Cervantes of Paris to meet with French hispanists

Spanish-French business meeting at the headquarters of the Organization for Development and Cooperation in Europe

The visit to France is next week and the forum is still closed. The program of the visit is on the calendar.

Felipe VI will address the National Assembly during his visit to France next week

The monarch will interrupt on Wednesday, March 25 the work of the Assembly to deliver a speech of significance to deputies, which is a courtesy of the French authorities to the head of the Spanish State, as it is a fantastic gesture reserved for certain international leaders with close ties to the country.

The French authorities don't care about TRF or any other royalty forum. They will set the same dress code and the majority of French population won't mind. I do mind, of course, but what's that to the French President?

Until we see the pictures we do not know the dress code, whether it will be black tie as with Queen Elizabeth or semiformal as with the Swedes. Queen Sofía never wore tiara on visits to republics, so neither will Queen Letizia. The chosen dress code will not be too important.

Spain and France are neighbors. The French Government has granted a high level to this visit, the king's invitation to speak at the National Assembly, is an exception granted to few leaders.

The Pimer Minister and the Mayor of Paris are French born in Spain, so for them the visit is also special. Prime Minister will receive the King and Queen at the Hotel des Invalides, something that is not very common.